Display and advertising sign



Dec. 12, 1944.. wlRTZ 2365, 934:

DISPLAY AND ADVERTISING SIGN Original Filed Jan. 21, 1941 YINVENTOR. FRED W: RTZ

Patented Dec. 12, 1944 DISPLAY AND ADVERTISING SIGN Fred Wirtz, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Bur-dick- Baron Company, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Original application January 21, 1941, Serial No. 375,189. Divided and this application March 16, 1942, Serial No. 434,907

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in display and advertising signs and the like, and the present application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 375,189, filed January 21, 1941, now Patent No. 2,292,311, of August 4, 1942.

My invention has for its primary object the provision of a display or advertising sign and the like having a screen-mesh body rendered smooth-surfaced by the incorporation therein of a plastic filling material and paint-coated for, as a base or foundation, receiving various types of printing processes for display purposes.

My invention has for a further object the provision of a sign-foundation of the type mentioned which is tough and flexible so as to withstand the rigorous conditions of usage imposed on such structures, which is economical in cost of materials and production, which is long wearing and durable, and'which is highly efficient in the performance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form. construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure l is a diagrammatic perspective view of a body section of screen-mesh material prepared for the production of a, sign embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the initially prepared screen-mesh body section taken approximately along the line 2-2, Fig.- ure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a first screening frame for co-operation with the screeninesh body in sign-production in accordance with my invention;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the primary screening frame and the initially prepared screen-mesh body in operative sign-forming relation;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the screenmesh body section in an intermediate stage of sign-production;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of the screen-mesh body section taken approximately along the line 6-5, Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a secondary screening frame co-operable with the screenmesh body section in sign-production according to my invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a finished screen-mesh body advertising or display sign of my invention: and

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of the finished sign taken approximately along the line 99, Figure 8.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates the successive steps in the production of a preferred form of advertising sign or the like embodying my invention, A designates a section of ordinary usually flexible or bendable screenmesh wire or similar material cut to any desired perimetral contour or size.

In that portion or area, generally the central portion or base, of the screen-mesh body section A in which the finished sign E is to be displayed, one face, for present purposes designated the under face, a, is covered with a removable sheet of material i formed preferably of adhesive coated masking paper or the like, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2.

Meanwhile a primary screening member B is provided comprising a peripheral frame 2 formed of wood or any other suitable material. Marginally fixed in, and extending across, the frame 2 preferably in the plane of one face thereof, is a, screen 9 formed of relatively small gauge wire mesh and suitably masked both on its upper and lower surfaces with so-called masking mats t, 5, which cover every portion of the screen 3 except an open area b corresponding in peripheral form and contour to the desired peripheral form and contour of the particular finished sign E which is to be displayed on the mesh section A.

The so-equipped screen section A is then placed fiatwise upon a suitabletable or other support with the adherent backing or mask sheet 5 down and the primary screening frame B superimposed upon the screen-section A with the unmasked area b more or less centrally over and within the confines of the area covered by the mask sheet I, substantially asshown in Figure 4. A suitable quantity of plastic base material is then applied upon the open area b of the mask- After the plastic material has been "squeegeed through the primary screening-frame B and incorporated into the screen A, the frame 13 is removed. The screen-section A, which will thus have substantially embedded or incorporated therein a body of plastic material a conforming in peripheral form and contour to the framearea b and hence also to the desired outline of the finished sign E, should now be allowed to stand to thoroughly dry, and it may be stated that such drying period may vary according to selected atmospheric or temperature conditions.

In any event, when the base foundation a is thoroughly dry, the mask or backing sheet I is removed, and it may be noted in this connection that the base foundation a is substantially flush on and with both faces of the screen A, the interstices thereof being completely or solidly filled, as best seen in Figure 6.

' Meanwhile, a secondary screen frame D is preparedcomprising a frame section 8 provided with a screen I formed of suitable process silk and masked in any conventional manner to provide an open area 11 of the same peripheral form and contour as the open area b of the primary screening frame .13, all as best seen in Figure '7.

When the base foundation a of the screenmesh section A is thoroughly dry, the secondary screening frame D is superimposed thereupon,

with the open section d in precise registration with the base foundation a, and a surface coating of plastic material conventionally squeegeed therethrough. This surface material is substantially more fluid than the plastic material em- 5 ployed in the formation of the base foundation a and may be any so-called standard outside paint aaeaose the coated base foundation 0' allowed to dry. Thereupon, the screen section A is turned over, and the other face of the base foundation 1: is likewise coated and dried, resulting in a screenmesh sign base consisting of the base foundation a and oppositely presented intimately bonded surface layers of coatings s, which fill all the irregularities in the surfaces of the base foundation a, as shown in Figure 9, and present upon the screen A extremely smooth uniform outer surfaces upon which any suitable advertising, lettering, symbols, indicia, or design e may be imprinted by screen-processing or any other conventional method.

Thus simply, economically, and expeditiously I am enabled to display on one or both of the faces of the screen A advertising signs or the like E, as shown in Figure 8, which are smooth, even, and attractively durable.

It should be understood that changes and modiflcations in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the finished sign E may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An advertising sign or the like comprising a body-section of open-mesh screen, an opaque base-foundation of initially plastic material incorporated in only a portion of said body-section, the base-foundation completely filling the interstices, and being substantially flush on and with the opposite faces of said selected portion only of the body-section, protective coating layers disposed on, and filling all the irregularities in, each of the oppositely presented surfaces of the basefoundation and forming smooth uniform outer surfaces, and advertising indicia imprinted upon both of said smooth surfaces.

FRED WIRTZ. 

